How to Get Naturally Clear Skin Without Antibiotics

I’ve suffered from acne pretty much since the moment I hit puberty. I always assumed that it was going to be something that I would grow out of once I stumbled out of my teen years. But now, as a 23-year-old, I cannot get it to go away. If anything, with the scarring from all of the acne I’ve had, it looks even worse. I had pretty much all but accepted that this was going to be my skin – acne-ridden and red forever. At least, that’s how I felt until I read The Complete Acne Health & Diet Guide by Dr. Makoto Trotter.

When they say that The Complete Acne Health & Diet Guide is complete, they really do mean it. It provides the anatomy and psychology of acne – the how and the why of it – and tells you how to deal with the aftermath of scarring. And unlike most books on acne, Dr. Trotter not only explains what affects the skin and why, but also provides a diet plan that eliminates foods that harm the skin and cause breakouts. The diet is also filled with low-glycemic, anti-acne foods that can be eaten all the time.

The author, Dr. Makoto Trotter, is a licensed naturopathic doctor with a special interest in digestion, hormones, and skin conditions. He has specialized in these areas for over a decade and is passionate about holistic medicine, which makes him an expert in the field of diet and acne. To understand exactly how and why acne happens, and how we can all prevent it, I spoke to Dr. Trotter:

Skin always seems to react to one’s diet, especially someone who is prone to acne. What is it about food that causes breakouts?

Eating foods that disrupt our body’s natural rhythm and consequently cause “blips” in our natural metabolism lead to the development of acne.

Certain foods can trigger our body to over secrete hormones and increase inflammation as a compensatory response. Both of these reactions lead to the development of pimples.

In my book, we look at the foods that are the most likely culprits to contribute to breakouts and the mechanisms by which they can do this. There is a comprehensive vibrant skin diet program included to settle your flare ups once and for all. It helps you achieve clear skin without having to resort to medication that often have adverse effects and work temporarily.

What foods are going to help my skin, rather than hurt it?

Foods that support clear skin are those that help to maintain stable blood sugars. Additionally, they contribute to reducing the inflammatory response in your body and at the same time improve hydration of your skin.

The ideal diet is comprised of whole unprocessed foods. You will also want to reduce your exposure to both sugars and dairy products, which are common triggers of acne.

Choose meals with ample protein, lots of vegetables and ensure that you have plenty of foods rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fats.

So we’re keeping what we eat in check – what else can we do to help prevent acne?

Besides a healthy diet, we need to support our body’s natural balance by having a healthy lifestyle. Getting adequate sleep is often very underrated, but if we don’t it leads to the release of stress hormones, which contribute to acne.

Keeping stress levels in check is also important; chronic stress can worsen the quality of your skin and lead to breakouts. Exercise is also paramount to normalizing hormones and has the bonus of improving your stress response.

In my book, I devote a good portion of it to explaining how stresses and certain unhealthy emotions can lead to acne, and what you can do about it.

Essentially, having balance in your diet and lifestyle creates balance in your internal health, which reflects on your skin.

Once we’ve seriously reduced our acne, there’s usually still some scarring. How do we help our skin recover from that?

Patients often ask me about treatment options for scarring while they still have active acne. The priority is to resolve the breakouts first because there is no point in treating existing scarring when new pimples will just lead to more new scars. Once the skin has settled then scarring can be addressed.

Acne can lead to discolored skin, which can be reduced by limiting sun exposure and protecting the skin with a good quality sunscreen. Topical vitamin E may help to some degree to help prevent scarring, but the most important variable is time. Given enough time, the skin turns over and pigmentation may normalize.

In situations where pigmentation does not even out or if there are scars that leave depressions in the skin, then resurfacing methods can be considered. Resurfacing can include topical retinoids, chemical peels, laser or light treatment. These essentially remove the top layers of the epidermis such that the younger skin underneath takes its place. This can helps with smoothening skin texture and evening skin tone.

Dr. Trotter understands that sometimes your skin needs an extra little boost. With the cold winter months drying the skin and irritating it further, he’s shared his Soothing Oatmeal Mask, which you can make yourself at home! Try it out:

Soothing Oatmeal Mask

Oats help soothe irritated, itchy and inflamed skin because they contain colloidal proteins that hold water. Be sure you do not have an allergy to oats before using this mask.

To see more ways to take care of your beautiful skin, head to our Beauty page.

What’s the healthiest thing you do for your skin?

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About The Author

Julia Schifini is a born-and-bred New Yorker who loves all things food & drink. When not writing about delicious recipes and fantastic books, she works as a cheesemonger and wine aficionado for an artisanal cheese shop. Follow her on instagram at @julesvernerose

Due to health concerns I have a fairly strict regimen for early bedtime, moderation and portion control with foods, following the Canada Food Guide for Healthy Eating, regular exercise each day of at least 30 minutes per day. Keeping well hydrated, avoiding processed, artificial and infalammatory-inducing foods as well as little sodium. Whole foods, complex carbs over simple ones, sweet fruits over sugary foods and limited caffeine and alcohol round out what keeps me feeling energetic and young without blood sugar swings.

I have always had very sensitive skin, so I apply a sunscreen moisturizer and Vitamin C serum in the morning, and a gentle retinol at night. I’ve also found that eliminating dairy from my diet clears up my skin a lot.

I am a total girly girl and have a ton of skin care products. But some of the healthiest things I DO for my skin is drink tons of water (including daily tea with lemon), take fish oil supplements and daily use of an aha moisturizer!

Doesoing to the dermatologist monthly benefit your regular skin regimen? What do they do for you monthly? Do you get skin treatments there like at a spa? Just curious. I go several times a year just to get prescriptions for my acne.

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